Building a "semi" replica of John Joel Glanton's short rifle

[elhombreconnonombre]

If anyone has read Samuel Chamberlain's memoirs of the Mexican War and his experiences on the southwester frontier afterwards or Cormac Macarty's "Red Meridian", you know who John Joel Glanton is. For those who don't he was an early Texian settler, participant in the Texas revoluton, Indian fighter, on and off Texas Ranger, outlaw, and for hire scalphunter, in real life as well as hstorical fiction. Years ago, I remember going through a museum in Arizona or California, and seeing a very short rifle or carbine reported to be his and snapped a Polaroid. In going through my stuff in storage recently I found that very faded pic and it got me to do some researching.
Looking through my Ranger narratives I found that Glanton had joined a company of Rangers during the Mexican War, was sent back to Texas for particularly violent depredatons against Mexicans (apparently even worse than the norm for Rangers at the time), then he came back and joined another company. In this narrative it describes how he loaned his "short rifle" to a fellow Ranger who accidentally shot himself in the leg. In looking at the pic the rifle appears be a cap lock, have a barrel about 20" in length with a rectangular patch box in the butt, and a hinged attachment at the end of the mussel for a ramrod (like the Perdersoli Howdah), and a loop attachment on the left hand side. Thus, it appears to be perhaps a Napoleanic era British Baker carbine taken from a fallen Mexican Lancer during the Texas revoluton, converted to cap lock between 1836 and 1846.
I plan to "sacrifice" an old Jukar .45 cal longarm to come up with a replica using replica Baker carbine parts from The Old Rifle Shoppe. It should be fun. I plan to add this to my Mexican War Ranger impression kit along with my Walkers, etc.

 

[Crawdad1]

There's a description where a wagon train of homesteaders met up with a 'scalp hunter' her description of him was disturbing saying, "I swear if you looked into his eyes, which were cold blank and lifeless, you could see the deepest and the darkest depths of Hell"

Sounds like a good plan Elhombre, like to see it after you're finished.

 

[elhombreconnonombre]

Well if what you described was in the Southwest right after the Mexican War it might have been Glanton or one of his 30 man crew of murderers. My gggpaws memoirs mentions a chance neeting with a crew of scalphunters on his way to the gold fields by that route in1849. Gggpaw returned by that same route with his pard in 1851. Glantons gang were initually contracted to kill Apache by the Mexican govt, but killed and scalped peaceful Indians and Mexicans as well to.keep up their "production quotas" .They robbed immigrants along the southern California trail and 49ers going to and from the gold fields using that route. His gang killed the peaceful indians that operated a ferry across the Gila River at Yuma. He and many of his men were killed there when the indians organized and attacked. It is interesting to note that there is some speculation that he buried his ill gotten gains if nesrly $50000 in gold (in 1850 dollars) in the Arizona desert and that Chamberlain may have discovered it and used it to finance his trip around the world brginning in San Francisco acquiring all sorts of exotic Asian, African, and European weaponry and artifacts that he proudly displayed in the home he built and lived in upon his return. As as always quien sabe?

 

[Crawdad1]

For a contemporary regardless if it was a homesteader or not to be more than a little frightened by his presence and his appearance speaks volumes. I do remember that they said "they met up with a "lone" scalp hunter. But they don't describe how he was armed.

 

[elhombreconnonombre]

If I had lived in those days I no doubt would have been as well armed as one of those desparados, but I would have really worried about coming face to face with Judge Holden. Glanton was a baddie, but Holden was a true psychopath.

 

[Crawdad1]

Elhombre, Judge Holden? I don't know who that is.

 

[elhombreconnonombre]

Per the Union General Samuel Chamberlains memoirs of his early life up through the Mexican War and shortly there after, Judge Holden was an extremely well educated East Texas lawyer who reportedly was John Glantons primary co conspirator in the scalp hunting trade.Find a copy of Chamberlains self illustrated "My Confessions, Recollections of a Rogue" to read, which first surfaced as a collection of manuscripts and drawings in 1940, but wasnt actually published until 1956 after being acquired by Life magazine for publication in a magazine series during the summer of 1956. I was fascinated by the magazine series that summer when I was 7 years old and through the years have acquired a first edition partially illustrated printing, as well as the 1995 Texas State Historical Society version, and the companion volume with all of his self done watercolors. His description of the Battles of Monterey and Buena Vista and atrocities commited by the volunteer state regiments are some of the most detailed ever penned. Sam later joined Glanton's gang after the war.
Cormac McCartys 1985 best seller historical fiction novel "Red Meridian" was largely based on Sams time with the gang. I highly recommend it as well. There has been sone discussion on bringing it to.the big screen, but the violence (much more disturbing than McCartys "No Country for Old Men") presented is likely unpresentable as an entertainment. It would make violent Sam Peckinpah movie look like a cartoon for a 4 year old.

 

[ivankerley]

funny the book i read was called "Blood Meridian" or the Evening Redness in the West, by Cormac McCarthy... (knit picky LOL)
Liked the book alot years ago when i read it, it is a rather difficult read though, at least for me it was, i more enjoyed "the Road"... though im gonna go back and re-read blood meridian.
Cant wait to see the results of your project!
Thanks
Gene

 

[elhombreconnonombre]

Thats it: Blood Meridian, my error I got the Blood and Red mixed up due to the dual title. A very visual novel. Not sure if it would be possible to make a film version without ruining it, plus the violence of it. The description of the Comanche attack on the Dragoons is classic.

 

[YumaKid]

elhombre: Was interesting to read your quote from your gggpaw's memoirs regarding the Glanton's activities in what is now part of Yuma County, AZ.

"...They robbed immigrants along the southern California trail and 49ers going to and from the gold fields using that route. His gang killed the peaceful indians that operated a ferry across the Gila River at Yuma. He and many of his men were killed there when the indians organized and attacked....

While not wanting to appear nit-picky, and rather to develop a little more accuracy; I think there's a minor mistake in that record. In essence, in the area which this quote was to have taken place; the Gila River in fact flows from east to west, and crossing it would still have one standing in Arizona Territory. In order to cross into California; one would have to travel roughly 2.2 miles further west along the Colorado River and then take the Colorado River crossing, which is in fact a NORTH to SOUTH ferry; in order to enter California.
(Rather than my trying to explain THAT one, I ask that you look at a map of SW Arizona and follow the track of the Colorado in this area. Look at it long enough and you'll find that northernmost edge of Yuma is both EAST and SOUTH of California, with Mexico falling to the west and south!)

Sounds to me like the Glantons met up with the Quechan (pronounced "KIT-zahn") Indian tribe, which -and I'd bet money on this- likely operated BOTH ferrys up until the US Army took over the Colorado crossing sometime around 1852-1854. The Quechan are to this day good businessmen; who take their earnings seriously. I can imagine the Glanton's were very surprised.